Resources · Reference sheets
Model UN Points and Motions Cheat Sheet
Nearly everything that happens in a Model UN committee happens through a point or a motion, and the full set is smaller than it looks from the back of the room: four points, about a dozen motions. This sheet puts all of them on one printable page, with the exact phrasing and the vote each one needs.
For how these fit into the full arc of a session, from roll call to the final vote, read Model UN Rules of Procedure, Explained in Plain English.
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The four points
Points ask; they are never voted on.
| Point | Use it when | Interrupts a speaker? |
|---|---|---|
| Point of Personal Privilege | Something is impairing your ability to participate: you cannot hear the speaker, the room is freezing, you need to step out. | Yes, the only point that freely interrupts a speaker. Use it sparingly and only for real impairments. |
| Point of Order | Procedure is being broken: wrong vote threshold, skipped speaker, chair error. The chair rules on it immediately. | Only if the speech itself violates procedure. During voting, only points about the conduct of the vote. |
| Point of Parliamentary Inquiry | A question to the chair about procedure: "what would this motion do?" Ask before you move something you are unsure about. | No. Raise it when the floor is open. |
| Point of Information | A question to a speaker who has yielded to questions. In THIMUN-style procedure this is the main way to challenge a speech. | No. It comes after the speech, through the chair. |
The motions
Made only when the floor is open. None interrupt a speaker.
| Motion | How to say it | Vote needed |
|---|---|---|
| Set the agenda | "Motion to place Topic A first on the agenda." | Simple majority |
| Moderated caucus | "Motion for a ten-minute moderated caucus with a thirty-second speaking time on the topic of funding mechanisms." Always: total time, speaking time, topic. | Simple majority |
| Unmoderated caucus | "Motion for a fifteen-minute unmoderated caucus for the purpose of drafting working papers." | Simple majority |
| Extend the previous caucus | "Motion to extend the moderated caucus by five minutes." Moved at expiry; usually cannot exceed the original length. | Simple majority |
| Introduce a draft resolution | "Motion to introduce Draft Resolution 1.1." Needs dais approval and the required signatories first. | Simple majority, or granted at the chair’s discretion |
| Close debate (move to voting) | "Motion to close debate and move into voting procedure." Two speakers against may be heard. | Two-thirds majority |
| Suspend the meeting | "Motion to suspend the meeting until the next session." Ends the session, not the conference. | Simple majority |
| Adjourn the meeting | "Motion to adjourn." Ends committee for the conference; usually only in order at the final session. | Simple majority |
| Right of reply | Requested in writing to the chair after a speech insults your nation’s (or your personal) integrity. Not for mere disagreement. | No vote; granted at the chair’s discretion |
| Division of the question | "Motion to divide the question, voting on operative clauses 3 and 4 separately." Available once debate is closed; operative clauses only. | Simple majority |
| Roll call vote | "Motion for a roll call vote." Substantive votes only; each delegation answers yes, no, abstain, or pass in alphabetical order. | Often granted on request; some conferences require support |
| Appeal the chair’s decision | "Motion to appeal the decision of the chair." Rare; many conferences make most rulings unappealable. | Usually two-thirds to overturn |
Voting rules in brief
The five facts that settle most arguments at the back of the room.
| Procedural votes | How the committee runs: caucuses, agenda, closure. Every delegate present must vote; no abstentions. |
| Substantive votes | Draft resolutions and amendments. Abstentions allowed, unless you declared "present and voting" at roll call. Observer delegations do not vote. |
| Simple majority | More yes than no. Abstentions do not count in the denominator. |
| Two-thirds | Yes votes at least double the no votes. Used for closing debate, and at some conferences for unfriendly amendments or "important questions". |
| Voting procedure is sealed | Once voting begins, nobody enters or leaves, and only points about the vote itself (or personal privilege) are in order. |
Common questions
What is the difference between a point and a motion in Model UN?
A point asks for something as of right (help, information, a procedural correction) and needs no vote. A motion proposes that the committee do something (caucus, close debate, vote a certain way) and passes or fails by vote.
What vote does a moderated caucus need?
A simple majority: more yes than no. The motion must state total time, individual speaking time, and topic, and the chair can rule it out of order before it is voted.
Can any motion interrupt a speaker?
No. Motions are only in order when the floor is open. Among points, only a Point of Personal Privilege freely interrupts a speaker, and a Point of Order can interrupt only when the speech itself is violating procedure.
What does "present and voting" mean at roll call?
Answering "present and voting" waives your right to abstain on substantive votes for that session. Answering "present" keeps it. Countries whose policy is genuinely undecided on the topic usually answer "present".
What happens if the speakers list runs out?
If the general speakers list is exhausted and nobody adds their name, debate closes automatically and the committee moves directly into voting procedure. Keeping a name on the list is a common way blocs protect themselves from a surprise vote.
How to use this sheet
- 1
Learn four motions before your first conference
Moderated caucus, unmoderated caucus, extension, and closing debate cover most of what you will ever move. The rest of the sheet is for recognizing what others are doing.
- 2
Phrase moderated caucuses completely, every time
Total time, speaking time, topic. Motions missing one of the three get ruled out of order or rewritten by the chair, and the committee remembers who moves clean motions.
- 3
Treat the thresholds as defaults
This sheet follows standard US (UNA-USA style) procedure, cross-checked against major conference rulebooks. Individual conferences vary details like amendment thresholds; when your background guide disagrees with this sheet, the background guide wins.
Pair this with the clause phrase bank for drafting, and the chairing script if you are the one holding the gavel.